A Thorny Question for the Ages; That Day Will Not Come

Looking at Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua, who were holding hands, Daoist Longshan felt a pang of emotion.

It's a special kind of fate that two people with completely different, even opposing, identities have managed to get to where they are today. He doesn't want his apprentice to face a difficult choice in the future.

Daoist Longshan solemnly asked:

"Are you two truly in love, willing to share hardships and be bound by a lifelong bond?"

Jiang Baishan turned and looked at Lin Ruhua tenderly, then respectfully knelt before Daoist Longshan:

"Master, please understand, I will marry no one but Ruhua in this life!"

Lin Ruhua also knelt down:

"Please True Person, witness this: I, Ruhua, will marry no one but Bai Shan in this lifetime!"

The two were of one mind, their eyes meeting with unwavering resolve.

Seeing this, Luo Wentian was also extremely gratified. This was the first among his many junior brothers and sisters to find her own partner. Just from the many secrets of the Demon Sect that Lin Ruhua had revealed before, he knew that his fifth junior brother had not misjudged her.

The Daoist Longshan stroked his beard and laughed heartily, then asked Lin Ruhua with a smile:

"If that's the case, why won't you call this old Daoist priest 'Master'?"

Lin Ruhua blushed, but her heart was filled with joy and sweetness. She whispered:

"Master."

The Daoist Longshan laughed heartily, feeling greatly gratified.

After he finished laughing, his expression gradually became serious.

"Logically speaking, since you two intend to become husband and wife, I should arrange a grand wedding for you. However, due to the special circumstances, everything will be kept simple, and we can make up for it another day."

He was incredibly serious, so serious that even Jiang Baishan became nervous.

The next moment, the words of the Daoist Longshan left him completely stunned.

"Bai Shan, so picturesque. After today, you shall descend the mountain and leave. For the next three years, find a secluded place to live in anonymity and never speak of the outside world again."

Jiang Baishan grew anxious.

"Master, why is this?"

"This disciple will not leave. The True Martial Sect is in danger now. How can this disciple leave alone at this time? This disciple cannot be such an unfaithful and unfilial person!"

Luo Wentian fell silent for a moment, sighing inwardly. He roughly understood what his master meant.

Daoist Longshan countered with a question:

"Then let me ask you this: if one day Ruhua's mother and master were to clash, whose side would you take? And whose side would you ask Ruhua to take?"

Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua both turned pale.

Both of them had ignored the issue, or rather, subconsciously avoided it, but now that Daoist Longshan had pointed it out so bluntly, both of them felt incredibly conflicted.

"I... I..."

The two were hesitant and conflicted.

Jiang Baishan's eyes turned red.

This is an age-old dilemma; both sides are close relatives, making it impossible to choose.

"If it really comes to that, I am willing to atone with my death!" Jiang Baishan's eyes were firm. He turned to look at Lin Ruhua, who also looked at him gently. She did not speak, but the meaning in her eyes was very clear.

Perhaps when things come to that point, dying for love is the best option.

Daoist Longshan sighed inwardly, but then rebuked him:

"Nonsense!"

"Since you two are so in love, you should live well. Death is the most cowardly act. I'm teaching you to grow, not so you can just kill yourself."

Luo Wentian slowly opened his mouth:

"Xiao Wu, for you and Ru Hua, what Master said is the best choice. You and Ru Hua should live in seclusion for three years, and after everything has settled down, whoever wins or loses will be destined by fate. You don't need to have any other thoughts."

Daoist Longshan continued:

"Don't feel sorry for your sect for deserting your post. You brought Ruhua here and provided such crucial information; your contribution has already been immense. You and Ruhua don't need to be caught in the middle of things from now on."

"Besides, what use can a mere White Mist Realm like you be? One more or one less makes no difference."

"Go, this is your master's order. If you refuse, then from this day forward, you shall not consider me your master!"

The words of the Daoist Longshan had become stern.

Jiang Baishan's eyes reddened, and he sobbed uncontrollably. He lowered his head and prostrated himself before Daoist Longshan, not daring to refute him.

Lin Ruhua's nose also felt sore.

She could naturally see the deep affection and care that the Daoist Daoist Longshan had for her.

She had only heard Jiang Baishan talk about it before, but seeing it today, she realized what it meant for a master and disciple to be like father and son. She had never seen such a scene in the Demon Sect before. Perhaps the Demon Sect originally only wanted to overthrow the Great Flame, but over the years, it has long since changed.

Her respect for Daoist Longshan grew ever more genuine.

Luo Wentian gently helped Jiang Baishan up, patted him on the shoulder, and then said:

"Master, the True Martial Peach Gathering hosted by Little Nine is in a few days. Let Xiao Wu and Ru Hua attend the banquet together before leaving."

Jiang Baishan's eyes held a hopeful look.

After a moment of silence, Daoist Longshan nodded slightly.

"Go, go and rest with Ruhua."

Jiang Baishan breathed a slight sigh of relief, then respectfully kowtowed several times with Lin Ruhua before leaving.

I watched their backs as they walked away.

The Daoist Longshan sighed deeply.

Luo Wentian comforted him:

"It's good that Xiao Wu has found his own happiness. Master, there's no need to worry too much. The two of them will naturally have their own destiny."

He could tell.

His master was, in a way, making preparations for both possibilities.

If Martial Saint truly attacks from the Demon Sect and the Southern Frontier, then even if the True Martial Sect is destroyed, it is necessary to preserve some seeds of revolution. Jiang Baishan is one such seed of revolution, and the True Martial will be rebuilt when the time is right.

Of course, as the True Martial Luo Wentian would not leave such a seed of fire.

After Lin Ruhua mentioned the Martial Saint, he had already begun planning various escape routes. The foundation of the True Martial Sect could not be abandoned, but he could not put all his eggs in one basket.

but.

Neither Daoist Longshan nor Luo Wentian had completely lost hope.

The root cause is Ning Qi.

Only the two of them knew just how extraordinary Ning Qi was; any miracle was possible for him.

Both of them looked behind the screen. Ning Qi appeared silently. Earlier, Jiang Baishan said that he had something important to tell Daoist Longshan and Luo Wentian, so the two of them called Ning Qi over together.

"Little Nine, what do you think about the upcoming birth of Martial Saint in the Demon Sect and Southern Border?" Both of them asked with hope in their eyes.

Ning Qi's expression remained calm, which relieved them slightly.

Ning Qi sat down, pondered for a moment, and then slowly spoke:

"As far as I know, the Martial Saint Technique no longer exists in the world."

Both the Prince of Zhenbei and Wu Jianghe have made this clear, so there's no smoke without fire.

Luo Wentian's eyes lit up:

So, this whole thing is fake?

Ning Qi shook his head and said:

"No, it's most likely true. Fifth Sister-in-law wouldn't lie to us. It's just that the Martial Saint of the Demon Sect and Southern Frontier must have been forcibly created with the help of external forces."

He heard everything Lin Ruhua said clearly: Martial Saint would be born within three years at the latest. This showed that the Demon Sect and the Southern Frontier had foreseen the timing of the Martial Saint's birth and had even been planning it for a long time. If he had created his own method to walk the path of Martial Saint, it would never have been like this; that required a Enlightenment.

Of course, this wasn't the only reason that led Ning Qi to make this guess.

What truly led him to this suspicion was that he already knew of the existence of the Blood Emperor Gu when he annihilated the Qingzhou stronghold in the Southern Frontier.

"In the Southern Frontier, eight or nine out of ten people rely on the Blood Emperor Gu to break through to the Martial Saint realm. As for the Demon Sect, they should also have their own methods. They only recently formed an alliance, so even if both sides are helping each other, they won't succeed quickly."

Ning Qi speculated.

This is one of the reasons why he was able to remain calm.

His progress in God Forging is going very smoothly. In about six months, he will be able to step into the Celestial Person Realm. At that time, he will not be completely without confidence when facing the Demon Sect and the Martial Saint of the Southern Frontier.

"An external force is generated? Does that mean that Martial Saint who breaks through in this way will be weaker?" Luo Wentian's eyes lit up.

This is a reasonable guess.

On the path of martial arts, if one forces a breakthrough with the help of external forces, the foundation will often not be so solid, and the strength will be weaker than that of others of the same level. To eliminate this influence, it will take a lot of time to consolidate the foundation.

When Luo Wentian and the others broke through to the White Mist Realm by taking the Condensing Qi Pill, it was in this way. Ning Qi later created a secret technique to solidify their foundation, and since the pills Ning Qi refined originally had very few side effects, the impact was successfully eliminated.

Daoist Longshan said:

"But even the weakest Martial Saint is still Martial Saint, and I'm afraid even the Wind Listening Elder, who is ranked first on the Celestial Person Ranking, cannot match him."

Ning Qi nodded slowly:

"Give me six months, and I can reach the Celestial Person Realm."

Luo Wentian was stunned, his eyes widening. He had always thought that Ning Qi had already reached the Celestial Person Realm, but now he realized that he was still only at the Gang Essence Realm. He found it unbelievable, and this was even more shocking Ning Qi reaching the Celestial Person Realm.

He already possesses strength that is almost invincible in the Celestial Person Realm; what would he be like after reaching the Celestial Person Realm?

Wouldn't that allow us to fight the Martial Saint?

Suddenly, the light of hope in his eyes intensified.

Daoist Longshan was also certain in his heart.

"In that case, we must do everything in our power to stop the Demon Sect and the Southern Frontier, buying time for Little Nine."

Luo Wentian's mind raced.

"The Southern Frontier is most likely relying on the Blood Emperor Gu, so we need to figure out exactly what the Demon Sect Sect's method for achieving Martial Saint is, so that we can prescribe the right medicine and delay their progress."

"Of course, it's difficult to do this with the strength of our True Martial Sect alone; we'll have to seek help from outside."

"If Martial Saint were to emerge from the Demon Sect and the Southern Frontier, the one least willing to see it would be the Great Flame Dynasty. Therefore, they are equally anxious about this matter. This news can be conveyed to the Prince of Zhenbei, who can then coordinate with the imperial court to launch an operation against the Demon Sect and the Southern Frontier."

"Alternatively, we can spread the word within the martial arts world to instill fear in other martial arts sects, which can also delay their plans to some extent."

"If we can stall for half a year and allow Little Nine to reach the Celestial Person Realm, then there will be room for things to improve."

Luo Wentian finished speaking in one breath, having already found the key point.

"It seems that our True Martial Sect is not necessarily doomed; there is still a chance for survival."

But at the heart of all this is Ning Qi.

He needs to be able to withstand the pressure.

Daoist Longshan took a deep breath and asked:

"Little Nine, if you were to reach the Celestial Person Realm, would you have the strength to contend with Martial Saint?"

Ning Qi thought for a moment and said:

"I don't know exactly how strong Martial Saint is, but if I could reach the Celestial Person Realm, I would easily be ten times stronger than I am now, or even stronger. I don't expect Martial Saint's combat power to be too outrageous. Even if I am no match for him, I wouldn't be completely powerless to fight back."

This was a serious calculation. After stepping into the Celestial Person Realm, with his solid foundation, the power of heaven and earth that he could resonate with would probably far exceed what others imagined.

He had already estimated the Martial Saint's strength to be as powerful as possible.

Both Daoist Longshan and Luo Wentian understood Ning Qi's character and knew that if he said that, he must have some confidence in the matter, so they breathed a sigh of relief.

He reached the Celestial Person Realm in half a year. If the Demon Sect takes longer to produce Martial Saint, Ning Qi will have even more time to grow.

"However, we must prepare for both possibilities. Little Nine, promise your master that if one day the two Martial Saint attack and you are no match for them, you must fight with all your might to escape. I know you definitely have the ability. Don't make meaningless sacrifices. At that time, with your talent, you only need to focus on cultivation for a few years, and killing them will be as easy as slaughtering chickens and dogs!"

"Then, the heavy responsibility of rebuilding the True Martial Sect will be entrusted to you."

The Daoist Longshan looked extremely solemn, even with a hint of pleading in his eyes.

Ning Qi remained silent.

He couldn't imagine the agony of his master and fellow disciples dying before his eyes, only to be forced to flee in frustration.

He let out a long sigh and said softly:

"No, Master, that day will never come."

Daoist Longshan stubbornly said:

"You promised me!"

Facing the gaze of Daoist Longshan, Ning Qi sighed inwardly, but finally nodded and said:

"I will."

He thought.

If it really comes to that, he will surely slaughter the entire Demon Sect and the Southern Frontier to avenge True Martial.

However, he absolutely did not want it to come to that.

He was filled with an unprecedented motivation. In fact, Ning Qi had always cultivated step by step. There might have been some minor pressure, but never before had it been so intense. One wrong move and the people he cared about might die.

As for escaping?

That's impossible. The True Martial Sect is a large and powerful organization; they can't all hide their identities.

The Daoist Longshan smiled.

He patted Ning Qi on the shoulder and said:

"With you here, the True Martial Inheritance will not be broken. Master can rest assured."

He then looked at Luo Wentian, a hint of fighting spirit flashing in his eyes:

"In that case, let's have a good fight with them!"

"Yes, Master!"

A fighting spirit surged in their eyes.

Since the Demon Sect and Southern Frontier are determined to force us, then there is no other way but to fight, even if it means certain death.

Ning Qi was thinking.

If we could find the headquarters of the Demon Sect and the Southern Frontier's training grounds for Martial Saint, we might as well strike first. Our current strength isn't enough to guarantee success, but if we reach the Celestial Person Realm and the Demon Sect and the Southern Frontier haven't yet produced Martial Saint, we might be able to try taking the initiative.

The next day.

Daoist Longshan wrote a secret letter in his own hand, recounting the Demon Sect's and Southern Frontier's clandestine plot to create Martial Saint, and then personally delivered it to Chen Xing and Chen Yue:

"Gentlemen, please deliver this confidential letter to the Prince of Zhenbei as soon as possible. It is of utmost importance and must not be lost!"

Chen Xing and Chen Yue's expressions hardened, and they nodded seriously.

They didn't even ask what it was.

Chen Yue stayed behind to guard True Martial City, while Chen Xing headed towards the Northern Barbarian Lands under the cover of night, where the Prince of Zhenbei was currently stationed.